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TAC issues. Letizia Stanghellini NOAO 16 June 2008 – Science with Giant Telescopes. The NOAO TAC. The NOAO TAC system deals with the community access to: The national observatories (KPNO, CTIO) Gemini (international partnership) Public and private partnership observatories
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TAC issues Letizia Stanghellini NOAO 16 June 2008 – Science with Giant Telescopes
The NOAO TAC • The NOAO TAC system deals with the community access to: • The national observatories (KPNO, CTIO) • Gemini (international partnership) • Public and private partnership observatories • NOAO + university partners (e.g., WIYN, SOAR) • NOAO public time on Keck, Magellan, MMT, HET via TSIP • NOAO TAC science-based; observers request selection of telescopes/instruments offered, based on their science needs • TAC Members chosen from the community at large, based on scientific excellence
TAC models • Single observatory • International partners • ESO (one OPC, national partners shares expected to be fulfilled- members selected from member counties) • Gemini (national TACs, ITAC to oversee queue/shares/ToO ) • Multi-partners • Keck, Magellan, WIYN (member TACs, no super-TAC, no general ToO policy except for public access)
TAC models – ground based obs. • Partner TACs plus observatory TAC (i.e., super-TAC) • Oversight of science policies, control over science time especially ToO • Lesser partners are disadvantaged (especially if queue modes are used, since availability of specific weather conditions is limited) • Pre-determined shares and partner TACs • Limited scientific oversight • Partners more likely to get their fair share
Distribution of the size of scheduled programs Telescope aperture < 6m (KP, CT, WIYN, SOAR) Telescope aperture > 6m (GEM and TSIP) Note the evolution toward smaller programs
Scheduled programs by team size Over time, the number of large (>5 people) teams is almost invariant for proposals requesting small apertures, while it increases for those requesting large apertures